ThanksUSA Awards Scholarships to Military Families in Partnership with Folds of Honor Foundation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ThanksUSA, a charitable effort to mobilize Americans to "thank" our active-duty troops through need-based scholarships, is partnering with the Folds of Honor Foundation to provide 65 scholarships worth $3,000 each to children and spouses of wounded or killed in action veterans.

Thanks to a $100,000 contribution from Folds of Honor, and a matching $100,000 contribution from ThanksUSA, the scholarships will be distributed this week. Folds of Honor provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving in the armed forces.

"It's important that we continue to do everything possible to remind ourselves and others about the sacrifice that American citizens make every day for our freedom," said Major Dan Rooney, founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation. "Scholarships help continue the legacy of our American heroes by ensuring that their families have an opportunity for the best life possible."

"ThanksUSA and Folds of Honor have very similar missions – to show our appreciation to men and women in uniform by providing the gift of education to their spouses and children – and we're honored that they have chosen to contribute to our scholarship program," said Michele Stork, executive director of ThanksUSA. "Thanks to the generosity of corporate donors such as Folds of Honor, we have awarded 150 scholarships so far in 2010, with 100 additional scholarships to be awarded before the year ends."

ThanksUSA began in 2005 when two Virginia schoolgirls set out to mobilize Americans to thank active-duty troops for defending our freedoms. Since 2006, ThanksUSA has awarded more than $6 million in need-based, post-secondary scholarships to nearly 2,300 spouses and children of military members serving on active-duty status. Scholarships have been awarded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to families representing all branches of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and the families of the wounded and fallen.

To support ThanksUSA's scholarship program or submit an application, please visit www.ThanksUSA.org.  

About Folds of Honor Foundation

The Folds of Honor Foundation provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving our great nation. Patriot Golf Day is the flagship fundraiser for the Folds of Honor Foundation. Patriot Golf Day, jointly supported by The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association, is held each Labor Day Weekend at participating facilities nationwide. Individuals and companies interested in contributing to the Folds of Honor Foundation, and those applying for scholarships should visit FoldsofHonor.com.

About ThanksUSA

Founded in the fall of 2005, ThanksUSA, a non-partisan 501(c) (3) organization, is an effort to thank the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families for their service to the country with the gift of education. The organization provides need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty status military. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

SOURCE ThanksUSA